The Multi-Step Movements of Digital Nomads: A Network Perspective on Destination Connectivity

Abstract

This study explores the multi-step mobility of digital nomads and its implications for global tourist flows and destination connectivity. Unlike traditional tourists who typically travel to a single location and return, digital nomads move through multiple destinations in a continuous and dynamic pattern. Using network theory as the conceptual framework, the study integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS), network analysis, and netnographic methods within a mixed methods design to examine spatial mobility and inter-destination relationships. Data derived from the Nomad List platform were analysed to map tourist flows and identify key nodes within the global mobility network. Centrality measures, such as degree, betweenness, and closeness, were used to determine which cities act as hubs and which remain peripheral. The findings indicate that cities such as Bangkok, Lisbon, New York, and Barcelona serve as central hubs, while others occupy marginal positions within the network. The study shows that digital nomads influence not only individual destination dynamics but also broader spatial structures. Their mobility is shaped by factors beyond tourism appeal, including digital infrastructure, affordability, and ease of access. This study contributes to the literature by reconceptualising digital nomad mobility as aggregate multi-step configurations and by modelling inter-destination connectivity through a network-based approach, rather than focusing on single-destination choice or individual travel itineraries. Additionally the study advances the literature by reconceptualizing digital nomad mobility as aggregate multi-step configurations and framing digital nomads as structural mobility actors within global tourism networks.